Kite control device

ABSTRACT

A kite provided with a control device attached to the conventional vertical stick and horizontal cross bow of the kite by strings or cords. This device is provided with an elongated slot for receiving a ring slidable therein. The kite towline is attached to this ring. The kite may be maneuvered and the direction of movement or flight thereof may be changed by momentarily relaxing the tension on the towline so that the ring slides from one end of the slot to the other.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Lloyd S. Turner 15 E. Main St., LosGatos, Calif. 95030 [21] App1 .No. 733,615 {22] Filed May 31,1968 [45]Patented Jan. 5, 1971 [54] KlTE CONTROL DEVICE 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

52 us. 01 244/155 [51] Int. Cl B64c 31/06, A63h 27/08 [50] Field ofSearch 244/155, 154, 153

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,613.894 10/1952 Howard244/155 2,613,895 10/1952 Howard 244/155 3,079,116 2/1963 Trimble244/154 3,366,354 1/1968 Sterba 244/154 FOREIGN PATENTS 629,587 8/1927France 244/153 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-PaulE. Sauberer A!!0rney-Allen and Chromy ABSTRACT: A kite provided with acontrol device attached PATENTEUJAN 5m 3552.690

PIC-3.6

' INVENTOR, LLOYD S. TURNER KITE CONTROL DEVICE DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to flying kites in general, and moreparticularly, to a device for attaching the towline to the kite wherebythe flight thereof may be maneuvered and controlled.

An object of this invention is toprovide an improved kite controlwhereby the flight of the kite may be controlled by the use of a singletowline.

Another object of this invention is'to provide an improved kite controlthat is simple and easy to manufacture and may be readily installed on akite without using tools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device attached to akite which permits the operator of the kite to control the flightthereof from the ground I by use of only one towline and which allowsthe operator to, fly the kite through various maneuvers and also controlthe direction of flight thereof.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which'it'relates from the following specification,claims, and drawings. 7

In accordance with this invention there is provided an improved kitecontrol device of simple construction which may be efficientlymanufactured in quantity and which is readily adapted for use on variouskites of conventional construction. This device comprises an elongatedmember of plastic, metal, wood or the like having a slot and-also havingholes at the ends thereof to which the strings leading to the ends ofthe crossbow of the kite are adapted to be attached. This device alsohas a hole located about in the center thereof to which the plastic,metal or the like is slidable in the slot and the single other, afterwhich the direction of flight of the kite may be changed upon resumingtension on the string.

Further details of this invention will. be apparent to those skilled inthe art to which it relates from the following specification, claims anddrawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a view of a kite employing this invention, said kite beingshown flying in the direction to the right;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the position assumed by the kite after flying,as shown in FIG. 1, when tension on the towline is momentarily relaxedand the ring is shown changing position in the slot in preparation tochanging the. direction of the kite;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the direction of flight of the .kite changedafter normal tension is again applied to the kite towline following thekite maneuver shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the control device of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the control device showing inserts adapted tobe positioned in the'slot thereof to modify the length or positionthereof; and g FIG. 6 is a side view of the device shown in FIGS. 4 and5.

Referring to the drawing in detaiLreference numeral 10 designates a kitewhich may be of conventional construction provided with a body 11 ofsheet material such as paper, cloth, plastic or the like. The sheetmaterial is held in extended position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 ofthedrawing by a pair of cross members (not shown) to which the stringsor cards '12 v shown in FIG. 4, and cords 13 are attached substantiallyto the 75 upper center of the device 14 in thelioleprovidedthereto.'

The device 14 is also provided with an elongated slot 15 for receivingthe ring 16 which may be made of metal, plastic or similar material, andto which the tow line 17 is attached. In order to align the controldevice and adjust its sensitivity, the length and relative position ofthe slot 15 may be changed. if desired, by providing the small bolts 18which are clamped therein, as shown in broken outline in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The device 14 and ring 16 associated therewith are used to manipulateand maneuver the kite during flight, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and3. The kite is made to fly to the right or left of the wind direction bychanging the relationship between the point of pull of the towline andthe center of resistance of the face of the kite. The kite is flying tothe right, as shown in FIG. I and indicated by the arrow 19, when thering 16 is in the right hand end of the slot 15 and towline 17 is undertension. When it is desired to have the kite fly to the left, as shownin FIG. 3 and indicated by the arrow 20, pull on the towline 17 is letup slightly so that the kite falls off to a somewhat horizontalposition, as shown in FIG. 2. This permits the ring 16 to slide into theleft hand end of the slot I5 and if, atthis time, pull is resumed onthetowline 17, then the kite will be flying in the opposite directionindicated by the arrow 20, as shown in FIG. 3, due tothe reversedrelationship between the point of pull and the center of resistance ofthe kite.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be'understood that theinvention is capable of variation and modificationfrom the form shown so that the scope thereof-should be limited only bythe proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

Iclaim:

1. In a kite'control device adaptedfor use with a single kite towlinewhereby the direction of flight of the kite and other maneuvers of thekite may be controlled and effected, the combination comprising a kitehaving crossmembers, a control device of generally elongatedconfigurationhaving an elongated slot substantially aligned with thelength thereof, means attaching said device to the crossmembers of saidkite so that said slot is substantially aligned with one of saidcrossmembers, said control device including means slidable in said slot,3 towlineattached to said slidable means, said slidable means beingadapted to shift its position in said slot substantially in alignmentwith said one ofsa'id crossmembers when tension on said towline isrelaxed a predetermined amount so that the relative position of saidslidable means with the center of wind resistance of said kite ischanged andthe direction of flight of said kite is thus changedwhenapplica'tion of tension on said towline is resumed.

2. In a kite control device adapted for use with a single kite towlinewhereby the direction of flight of the kite and other" maneuversof thekite can be controlled and effected, the

combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in' that saidmeans attaching said deviceto the crossmembers of the kite comprisescords attachingtherespective ends of said control deviceto opposite endsof one of said crossmembers,

and Cards attached substantially to the center of said control device,said last mentioned cords being attached to the other of thecrossmembers of said kite.

that one of thecrossmembers of said kite is substantially shorter. thanthe other of said crossmembers and 'said'means attaching'said device tosaid shorter, crossmember comprises cords of equal length attached totherespective ends of said control device and to the respective ends ofthe shorter of said crossmembers whereby a tensionforce normal to saidshorter crossmember applied at one end of said slot of said generally 7elongated control device adjacent-saidrioint of attachment of one ofsaid equal length cords has the effect of offsettingthe point ofapplication'of said tension force relative to said shorter crossmemberof said kite byefiectivelych'anging,the

7 length of the other of said cords by the addition of the length ofsaid control device.

4. In a kite control device adapted for use with a single kite towlinewhereby the direction of flight of the kite and other maneuvers of thekite may be controlled and effected, the combination as set forth inclaim 2, further characterized in that said slidable means comprises aring positioned in said elongated slot. 7

5. In a kite control device adapted for use with a single kite towlinewhereby the direction of flight of the kite and other maneuvers of thekite may be controlled and effected, the combination as set forth inclaim 2, further characterized in that said slidable means comprisesaring positioned in said elongated slot and said slot is provided withmeans whereby the length of said slot is adjustable.

6. In a kite which is adaptedto be maneuvered, the combinationcomprising a kite body having horizontal and vertical members attachedthereto, cords attached to said members. a towline, means attaching saidtowline to the cord which is attached to said horizontal member, saidattaching means including a member that is slidably movable with respectto said last mentioned cord, said last mentioned member also beingmovable in a direction substantially aligned with said horizontalmember, means limiting the slidable motion of said last mentionedmember, said slidable member being adapted to shift its position withrespect to said last mentioned cord in a direction substantially inalignment with said horizontal member when tension on said towline isrelaxed to a predetermined amount so that the relative position of saidslidable member with the center of wind resistance of said kite ischanged and the direction of flight of said kite body is thus changedwhen application of tension on said towline is resumed.

1. In a kite control device adapted for use with a single kite towlinewhereby the direction of flight of the kite and other maneuvers of thekite may be controlled and effected, the combination comprising a kitehaving crossmembers, a control device of generally elongatedconfiguration having an elongated slot substantially aligned with thelength thereof, means attaching said device to the crossmembers of saidkite so that said slot is substantially aligned with one of saidcrossmembers, said control device including means slidable in said slot,a towline attached to said slidable means, said slidable means beingadapted to shift its position in said slot substantially in alignmentwith said one of said crossmembers when tension on said towline isrelaxed a predetermined amount so that the relative position of saidslidable means with the center of wind resistance of said kite ischanged and the direction of flight of said kite is thus changed whenapplication of tension on said towline is resumed.
 2. In a kite controldevice adapted for use with a single kite towline whereby the directionOf flight of the kite and other maneuvers of the kite can be controlledand effected, the combination as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that said means attaching said device to thecrossmembers of the kite comprises cords attaching the respective endsof said control device to opposite ends of one of said crossmembers, andcords attached substantially to the center of said control device, saidlast mentioned cords being attached to the other of the crossmembers ofsaid kite.
 3. In a kite control device adapted for use with a singlekite towline whereby the direction of flight of the kite and othermaneuvers of the kite may be controlled and effected, the combination asset forth in claim 1, further characterized in that one of thecrossmembers of said kite is substantially shorter than the other ofsaid crossmembers and said means attaching said device to said shortercrossmember comprises cords of equal length attached to the respectiveends of said control device and to the respective ends of the shorter ofsaid crossmembers whereby a tension force normal to said shortercrossmember applied at one end of said slot of said generally elongatedcontrol device adjacent said point of attachment of one of said equallength cords has the effect of offsetting the point of application ofsaid tension force relative to said shorter crossmember of said kite byeffectively changing the length of the other of said cords by theaddition of the length of said control device.
 4. In a kite controldevice adapted for use with a single kite towline whereby the directionof flight of the kite and other maneuvers of the kite may be controlledand effected, the combination as set forth in claim 2, furthercharacterized in that said slidable means comprises a ring positioned insaid elongated slot.
 5. In a kite control device adapted for use with asingle kite towline whereby the direction of flight of the kite andother maneuvers of the kite may be controlled and effected, thecombination as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that saidslidable means comprises a ring positioned in said elongated slot andsaid slot is provided with means whereby the length of said slot isadjustable.
 6. In a kite which is adapted to be maneuvered, thecombination comprising a kite body having horizontal and verticalmembers attached thereto, cords attached to said members, a towline,means attaching said towline to the cord which is attached to saidhorizontal member, said attaching means including a member that isslidably movable with respect to said last mentioned cord, said lastmentioned member also being movable in a direction substantially alignedwith said horizontal member, means limiting the slidable motion of saidlast mentioned member, said slidable member being adapted to shift itsposition with respect to said last mentioned cord in a directionsubstantially in alignment with said horizontal member when tension onsaid towline is relaxed to a predetermined amount so that the relativeposition of said slidable member with the center of wind resistance ofsaid kite is changed and the direction of flight of said kite body isthus changed when application of tension on said towline is resumed.